Both players have come through in a big way for No. 2 Brookside Christian (9-2) and both need to play well against No. 1 Foresthill (10-1) in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship game at 1 p.m. today at the Grape Bowl in Lodi.

Caldron has thrown for 2,709 yards, seventh-most in the section, with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions, leading an offense that averages 45.3 points per game. Henton, who also plays tight end and running back, leads the section with 199 tackles, including 136 assists, for a defense that has shut out four of its past five opponents and given up 14 points in its last six games.

Brookside Christian coach La Te'f Grim, a former wide receiver standout at Franklin High, Delta College and the University of Pittsburgh, said Caldron has provided an almost seamless transition with the graduation of Tony Rodriguez, the Knights' starter the past three seasons, who helped lead Brookside Christian to the 2010 section title and a state bowl game.

"I asked Austin to play quarterback as an eighth grader," Grim said. "He said he wasn't sure what he wanted to do."

Caldron accepted Grim's request and was Rodriguez's understudy as a freshman and sophomore, taking limited snaps in practice and none in a game. Caldron never played quarterback at the youth level, either, so grabbing the reins of a team coming off a 2-8 season was a challenge. And he met it, head on.

"He's a cerebral kid," Grim said. "He listens and takes it all in."

Caldron, 17, said he prepared to assume the starting role.

"Since my freshman year, coach Grim believed in me," Caldron said. "I've been working ever since. I trained hard because I knew I had to lead the team.

"It was definitely different."

Caldron had about as distrastrous a debut as one could imagine, completing 9 of 34 passes for 104 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 68-6 loss to Modesto-Central Catholic, which played Antelope-Center in the Division IV semifinals on Friday. Caldron bounced back the following game, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions on 18-of-37 passing in a 36-6 win over Placerville-El Dorado. He followed that game with one of his best, when he threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing in a 32-12 victory over Rio Vista.

"I could tell I was getting better every day," said Caldron, who has completed 55 percent (156 of 283) of his passes and averages 246 yards per game. "Reading the defense was a hard thing to master, but what came easier was footwork because that took repetition and that's what I worked on my freshman and sophomore years."

Henton transferred to Brooskide Christian after two years at Modesto Christian. Henton said he likes the small class sizes and attention he receives from instructors and counselors at Brookside Christian. And since defensive coordinator Ed Oliver granted the 6-foot, 220-pound, 17-year-old the freedom to roam the field, Henton has enjoyed bringing opposing quarterbacks, receivers and running backs to the ground.

"The defense allows me to flow to the ball and be the middle linebacker I can be," said Henton, who also has rushed for 520 yards and 10 touchdowns on 59 carries. "I like being the only middle linebacker and I fill the gap and go after whoever has the ball."

Oliver, who joined Grim's coaching staff last season, said he switched from a more base defense to one that allows his players to utilize their talents.

"Darius has good lateral movement, so he's able to cover a lot of room, as well as put his head in there on plays in the middle," said Oliver, who works as the director of the CVS Pharmacy distribution center in Patterson. "And he has a nose for the football. He has a natural feel for the game."

Foresthill, which lost to Sacramento-Bradshaw Christian in the section championship game last season, averages about 84 yards rushing more per game than passing (140.8-224). Senior Wes Archbold leads the running game with 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns, and senior quarterback Tom Sawyer has thrown for 1,477 yards and 27 TDs with three interceptions.

"We don't necessarily do anything crazy awesome, but we do everything pretty well," Wildfires coach Jim Herlehy said. "We've got an effective running game and effective passing game and we try to stay balanced and we try to be intelligent. We have a pretty good football IQ on this team and take what the other team gives us."

Herlehy said Brookside Christian is a formidable opponent.

"They have incredible athleticism and really good size," said Herlehy, who started the Foresthill varsity football program eight years ago. "We tackle really well, and we plan on trying to limit the big plays and try to make them go on long drives for scores."

None of Brookside's players made significant contributions on the 2010 section champion-ship team and the Knights did not make the playoffs last season. The lack of big-game experience has Grim somewhat concerned.

"None of these guys have played in a championship setting," Grim said. "Getting past the first 7 minutes is important, and then it's like a regular game."